What is happening to our list?

["Rick Walker \(loop.pool\)" <GLOBAL@cruzio.com>]

Hi Everybody,

    By my count we have lost at least three prominent members from this 
list
this week, including the inimitable Goddess and one of our most famous and
creative members, David Torn.

    In the past couple of months, with a distinct heighthening in the last
horrible week,  a lot of the posts on L.D. have seemed to get more 
personal,
more petty and sometimes even downright hateful, whether it be about
Repeater woes or Terrorist politics.  People are seeming to write 
reactively
instead of considering, carefully, the effect that they are going to have 
on
each other.  Several people I know have mentioned that it has depressed
them. It has depressed me and we have definitely lost a few important
contributors.

    For the Americans on the list (which I suspect, probably represents the
majority of posters) we have all suffered a psychic and emotional abuse 
with
the intentional plane crashes of the past week.   Consequently, anyone who
has ever grown up with any kind of abusive background is in grave danger of
regressing, emotionally.   The signs of post traumatic stress are
everywhere:   people are depressed, irritable, moody, agitated and 
confused.
If you don't feel this way, you certainly know several people who do and 
the
cultural effect is like a mobile:   send part of it spinning out of control
and it effects everyone.

    My point is that now is a time to be very reasoned because of the
heighthened sensitivity of everyone around us.   I am not advocating
stuffing our feelings, but I do advocate checking out who you are
communicating with before you unleash on them.

    I'm with Kim, our intrepid moderator/list leader,  Loopers Delight is
a place where I go to get away from the depressing aspects of the world.
It is a community that I have grown to love and value.  I'm proud of us, 
but
my faith has been shaken of late and several of our brothers and sisters
have left because of our intemperance.

    Let's all try to be very, very concious and compassionate to ALL LIST
MEMBERS in the next few weeks (if not for the lifetime of this list). No
matter how stronlgy you feel, please attempt to be sensitive to how your
posts will be taken by your 'opponent'.  If we work towards consensus, we
stand a much better chance of creating what we want to create on this list.
We will certainly be more respected by the manufacturers who make these
beautiful, if imperfect looping devices which can only help them in their
R&D efforts.


    Sent with love and appreciation,   Rick Walker (loop.pool)